


Stability

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gen, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:08:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Jim teaches Spock to ride a bike.
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 14
Kudos: 85





	Stability

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

It’s just science. That’s what he tells himself. The logic of it is perfectly sound. If he turns the pedals, the corresponding gears will turn the wheels, and they’ll propel him forward. The contraption is strangely compact and can’t balance on its own, but once in motion, he’ll be able to impose his own balance. As Spock manages to do so when walking, he should be able to aboard Jim’s ‘bicycle.’

Then he actually lifts his feet off the grass and onto the pedals, and all his careful plans fly out the proverbial window. He can instantly feel it tipping over, veering right, and he tries to compensate by hurling his body left, but that makes it even worse—the wheels collapse beneath him, and Jim has to catch him, propping him back up.

Spock fights with everything he has to keep his cheeks from turning green. He will _not_ be defeated by the bicycle. He will not disappoint Jim. Certainly not in public. They should’ve found a more secluded area to do this than an open park not far from Starfleet Headquarters. This is _not_ how he wanted to spend his brief R&R.

Apparently, this is how Jim wanted to spend it. Jim keeps one hand on the handlebars, holding the bicycle steady, and lifts the other hand to rub soothing circles across Spock’s back. He assures Spock, “Don’t worry. Once you get it, you’ll never forget it.”

Spock doesn’t usually forget moments spent with Jim. He vividly remembers the last time Jim wore that lime-green button-up and those tight jeans that have become just a little _too_ tight for him. They’d gone to a restaurant downtown whilst Scotty oversaw the Enterprise’s repairs. They’d run into M’Ress and let her pull up a chair, though she’d shed into Spock’s soup, and they’d quickly made an excuse to go home together without her. 

Jim says, “Let’s just try to go a little ways.”

Spock stiffly nods, willing to try. Jim gives him a slight push, and Spock sucks in a breath and returns his feet to the pedals. Jim’s hands stay securely around him, keeping him in place. He slowly moves the pedals forward, and the wheels turn. Jim follows, keeping pace with him, still holding on. 

Then Jim tells him, “I’m going to let go,” and Spock absolutely does not want Jim to ever let go. But he needs to be an independent Vulcan and doesn’t protest aloud. 

Jim lets go. Spock swallows down his inner panic. He attempts to mentally meditate while his body continues the monotonous motion. He carefully leans forward and _only_ forward. The ground is unsteady. The grass is hard to move across, but Jim suggested the padding would be good if he fell. Spock insisted he wouldn’t fall. He’s no longer so confident. Jim cheers behind him, “Good job, Commander!”

Someone in a blue sweater is up ahead, innocently cutting across the grass, but they stop mid-step to stare at Spock. 

Dr. McCoy.

Spock abruptly loses control. The bicycle topples to the left, where _Jim should be_ , and Spock’s powerless to stop it. He’s not going particularly fast, and it’s easy enough to stop pedaling, but he still hits the ground hard enough to let out a little ‘oof.’ Jim was right. The grass does make an adequate cushion. He doesn’t believe his body’s bruised. Only his ego. Which he shouldn’t have anyway. 

He can hear both Jim rushing over to him and Dr. McCoy laughing. If Spock had his way, he’d never attempt to ride such an absurd, archaic machine again.

But Jim asks him to try, so he does.


End file.
